Combination cap and pump for sprayer apparatus

ABSTRACT

A pressure container having an upper horizontal wall and an oblong access opening which is adapted to be enclosed by a dualpurpose oblong cover disposed inside of the container upper wall. The cover is provided with a locking member pivotally mounted thereon for movement to a locking position with the outside of the container upper wall, and for movement to an unlocked position to release the cover for removal from the container. A pump is attached to the inner side of the cover and it is provided with a piston rod which extends outwardly through the cover and a pump operating handle is attached to the outer end of the piston rod. A retaining means is carried on the locking member for retaining the pump handle in a position locked against axial movement, whereby the pump handle may be used to rotate the locking member between the locking position and the unlocked position when the pump is not being used.

United States Patent Santarelli [451 Sept. 12, 1972 [54] I COMBINATIONCAP AND PUMP FOR SPRAYER APPARATUS Primary Examiner-Samuel F. ColemanAssistant Examiner-James M. Slattery Attorney-Donnelly, Mentage 81.Harrington [72] Inventor: Vincent Santarelli, 2755i Gail, Warren, Mich.48093 [57] ABSTRACT [22] Flled' 1970 A pressure container having anupper horizontal wall [21] Appl. No.: 95,177 and an oblong accessopening which is adapted to be enclosed by a dual-purpose oblong coverdisposed in- 52 us. c1. ..222/340, 222/385 222/402 Side miner "PPerwall- The is Pmided with a locking member pivotally mounted thereon for51 Int. Cl. ..B67d 5/40 movement to a locking position with the Outsideof the [58] Field of Search .239/373, 333; 169/33; 222/401, 1 containerpp wall. and for movement to an 222 340, 3 34 373 333 335 3 4 401,locked position to release the cover for removal from 402, 372, 548;417/234, 446 'the container. A pump is attached to the inner side of thecover and it is provided with a piston rod which [56] References Citedextends outwardly through the cover and a pump operating handle isattached to the outer end of the UNITED STATES PATENTS piston rod. Aretaining means is carried on the locking 2,196,054 4/1940 Bullock..222/402 member for retaining the pump handle in a position 2,544,8543/1951 Oys et a1. ..222/402X locked against axial movement, whereby thepump 2,853,2l2 9/1958 Anderson "239/373 handle maybe used to rotate thelocking member 3,584,769 6/i971 Pinke ..222/340 between the lockingposition and the unlocked position when the pump is not being used.

6 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures r 1 P l I. I Ll L "iii "A I I .:-1=:T.- .l 128 11 17 11 I 1 1 :1/11 1111111w. l l 20 :.1 1/11 1111 11111 1 29 I lCOMBINATION CAP AND PUMP FOR SPRAYER APPARATUS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates to pressurized fluid containers for use insprayers of the portable type which are carried on a shoulder strap bythe user, and more particularly to a dual-purpose, combination accesscover and pump mounting means.

The prior art pressurized fluid containers for portable sprayers havebeen constructed in such a manner so that the container has beenprovided with an access opening and with a separate opening for themounting of the pressure pump. The prior art structure is notadvantageous because of an access opening and a separate opening toinstall the pressure pump increases the cost of making the container.Accordingly, it is an important object of the present invention toprovide a novel and improved pressurized fluid container which isadapted to overcome the aforementioned disadvantage of the prior artpressurized fluid containers for sprayers.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a pressurizedfluid container for a portable sprayer which is provided with a singleaccess opening in the upper wall thereof which is enclosed by adual-purpose cover that functions to seal the access opening and alsofunctions to support or carry a pressure pump for cre ating pressure inthe container.

. It is a further object of the present invention to pro vide apressurized fluid container which is provided with a single accessopening that is closed by a combination cover and pump structure whichis simple and compact in construction, economical to manufacture, andefficient in operation.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide apressurized fluid container which includes an upper horizontal wall andan oblong access opening therethrough. An oblong cover is disposedinside of the container upper wall for sealing engagement with saidoblong access. A locking member is pivotally mounted on the cover formovement to a locking position, for operative engagement with the outerside of said container upper wall to lock said cover in place, and formovement to an unlocked position to release said cover for removal fromsaid container. A pump is attached to the inner side of said cover andit is provided with a piston rod which is extended outwardly through thecover. A pump operating handle is attached to the outer end of thepiston rod and means is carried on the locking member for retaining thehandle in a position locked against axial movement, whereby the pumphandle may be used to rotate the locking member between the lockingposition and the unlocked position, and also be used for a cover handle,and further, whereby the handle may be used to operate the pump pistonrod when the cover is locked in position on the container upper wall.

Other objects, features and advantages of invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed description, appended claims, and theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1. is a fragmentary sideelevational view of a pressurized fluid container provided with adual-purpose cover and pump carrier means made in accordance with theprinciples of the present invention.

FIG. 2. is a view of a pressurized fluid container, similar to FIG. 1,and showing the dual-purpose cover and pump carrier means moved to areleased position inside of the container.

FIG. 3. is a perspective view of a combination cover and pump carriermeans made in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

FIG. 4. is a fragmentary, horizontal view, partly in section, of thestructure illustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 4-4 thereof, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 5. is a view similar to FIG. 4, and showing the locking meansturned to a released position.

FIG. 6. is a fragmentary elevational section view of the structureillustrated in FIG. 1, taken along the line 6--6 thereof, and looking inthe direction of the arrows.

FIG. 7. is a fragmentary, elevational section view of the structureillustrated in FIG. 5, taken along the line 7-7 thereof, and looking inthe direction of the arrows.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings,and in particular to FIG. 1, the numeral 10 generally designates apressurized fluid container of the type employed in portable sprayersfor holding insecticides or other chemical preparations and wherein thecontainer is adapted to be carried on a shoulder strap by the user. Thenumeral 11 designates an upper horizontal container wall which isprovided with an access opening which is oblong in shape, as shown inFIG. 4, and which is surrounded by an inwardly extended flange 12, asshown in FIG. 1. Sprayers of the aforementioned general type areequipped with an air pressure pump which is manipulated by hand to buildup a pressure in the container by means of which the liquid isdischarged through a spray nozzle. The numeral 13 generally designatessuch an air pressure pump in FIG. 1. The numeral 14 designates adischarge hose to which is connected a suitable spray nozzle. Thedischarge hose 14 is connected to a suitable internal liquid tube 15.

As best seen in FIG. 6, the cover structure of the present inventionincludes an inner circular plate 16 which is integrally formed on theupper end of a cylindrical vertical wall 17. Integrally formed on thelower end of the wall 17 is a horizontal, oblong flange 18 which isprovided with an outer shape that is identical to the shape of theoblong access opening in the container upper wall- 11, and which isadapted to be slidably received within said access opening. A vertical,downwardly extended flange 19 is integrally formed around the outerperiphery of the flange 18 and a horizontal flange 20 is integrallyformed on the lower end of the vertical flange 19. It will be seen thatthe horizontal flange 20 carries a suitable rubber gasket or othersuitable seal material 21. The gasket 21 is adapted to be seated againstthe access opening flange 12 when the cover is in the closed positionshown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 6, the air pressure pump 13 includes a cylinder 22which is enclosed by a top end plate 23. The plate 23 is fixedlyattached to the cover flange 18 by any suitable means, as by brazing 24.The cylinder plate 23'encloses the lower end of the cylinde wall 17 ofthe cover structure.

As shown in FIG. 6, a cylinder rod guide bushing 25 is extendeddownwardly through suitable holes in the cover plate 16 and the cylindertop end plate 23. The guide bushing 25 is secured in place by suitablebrazing 26 which attaches the bushing 25 to the cylinder plate topendplate 23. A locking member is pivotally mounted on the cover formovement between a locking position illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, and anunlocked position to release the cover for removal from the container asillustrated in FIGS. 2 and 5. The locking member includes a horizontalstrap 27 which is pivotally mounted around the upper end of the bushing25. The locking member further includes a pair of downwardly extendedstraps or legs 28 which are each integral at their upper end with one ofthe outer ends of the strap 27. The locking member further includes apair of horizontal outwardly extended cam engaging straps 29 which areintegrally attached to outer ends of the straps 28.

As shown in FIG. 3, when the locking member is rotated to the lockingposition, the locking straps 29 slide up over the locking cams 30 whichare secured at one end thereof to the container upper wall 11 by anysuitable means, as by the brazing 31. As shown in FIG. 7, the lockingearns 30 are formed ,with an upwardly directed free end, opposite to theend which is secured in place by the brazing 31, so as to provide aspring action locking pressure against the locking member straps Thenumeral 32 in FIGS. 4, and 6 designates stop members to limit therotational movement of the locking member relative to the coverstructure. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, a U-shaped pump handle lockingmember is secured to the locking member top straps 27 by any suitablemeans, as by welding. The U- shaped pump handle locking structurecomprises the horizontal strap 33 and the integral two verticallyextended C-shaped members 34 which have the openings 35 on the one sidethereof. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 3, the lower horizontal rod portion 37of the pump handle 38 is adapted to be disposed in the C-shaped lockingmembers 34 to retain the pump handle 38 in a locked position. The pumphandle horizontal rod portion 37 is secured to, the upper end of thepump piston rod 36, as shown in FIG. 6. A coil spring 39 is disposedbetween the pump handle cross rod 36 and the handle locking plate 33.The spring 39 normally biases the handle 38 upwardly in a locked seatingengagement in the C- shaped members 34.

It will be seen that the dual-purpose or combination container cover ofthe present invention may be locked in place by moving the pump handle38 into the locked position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The handle 38 isalso used for turning the locking member into the unlocked positionshown in FIG. 5. When it is desired to operate the pump with the coverlocked in the position shown in FIG. 1, the handle 38 may be released bypressing downwardly on the handle and turning the handlecounterclockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, to permit the lower handle bar 37to be moved out through the openings 35 to free the handle 38 from theC-shaped locking members 34. The pump handle 38 may then be used in theconventional way to create a pressure inside of the tank 10. It willalso be understood that the handle 38 may be used as a means forcarrying a container preciated that the invention is susceptible tomodification, variation and change without departing from the properscope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a pressure container having an upper horizontal wall and an oblongaccess opening therethrough, the combination comprising:

a. an oblong cover disposed inside of said container upper wall forsealing engagement with the inside of said container upper horizontalwall around said oblong access opening;

. a locking member pivotally mounted on said cover for movement to alocking position for operative engagement with the outer side of saidcontainer upper wall to lock said cover in place, and for movement to anunlocked position to release said cover for removal from said container;

. a pump for creating pressure in the container attached to the innerside of said cover and having a piston rod extended outwardly throughsaid cover;

of said piston rod; and, means carried on said locking member forretaining said handle in a position locked against axial movement,whereby the pump handle may be used to rotate said locking memberrelative to said cover between said locking position and said unlockedposition, and be used for a cover handle, and whereby said handle may beused to operate said pump piston rod when the cover is locked inposition on said container upper wall.

The structure as defined in claim 1, including:

. means for normally biasing said pump handle upwardly away from saidcover when the handle is not locked against axial movement.

3. The structure as defined in claim 1, including:

a. a pair of locking cams disposed on the outer side of said containerupper wall, in opposite positions adjacent the edge of said accessopening; and,

b. said locking member includes a pair of oppositely disposed outwardlyextended flanges for locking engagement with said cams when said lockingmember is pivoted to said locking position.

4. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein:

a. said means on said locking member for retaining said handle in alocked position includes a pair of axially extended, parallel, spacedapart and oppositely oriented C-shaped members.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4, wherein:

a. said means on said locking member for retaining said handle in alocked position includes means for biasing said handle into a lockedposition in said C- shaped members.

6. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein:

a. said access opening is provided with an inwardly extended flange;and,

a pump operating handle attached to the outer end b. said cover isprovided with a sealing means for sealing engagement with said flange.

1. In a pressure container having an upper horizontal wall and an oblongaccess opening therethrough, the combination comprising: a. an oblongcover disposed inside of said container upper wall for sealingengagement with the inside of said container upper horizontal wallAround said oblong access opening; b. a locking member pivotally mountedon said cover for movement to a locking position for operativeengagement with the outer side of said container upper wall to lock saidcover in place, and for movement to an unlocked position to release saidcover for removal from said container; c. a pump for creating pressurein the container attached to the inner side of said cover and having apiston rod extended outwardly through said cover; d. a pump operatinghandle attached to the outer end of said piston rod; and, e. meanscarried on said locking member for retaining said handle in a positionlocked against axial movement, whereby the pump handle may be used torotate said locking member relative to said cover between said lockingposition and said unlocked position, and be used for a cover handle, andwhereby said handle may be used to operate said pump piston rod when thecover is locked in position on said container upper wall.
 2. Thestructure as defined in claim 1, including: a. means for normallybiasing said pump handle upwardly away from said cover when the handleis not locked against axial movement.
 3. The structure as defined inclaim 1, including: a. a pair of locking cams disposed on the outer sideof said container upper wall, in opposite positions adjacent the edge ofsaid access opening; and, b. said locking member includes a pair ofoppositely disposed outwardly extended flanges for locking engagementwith said cams when said locking member is pivoted to said lockingposition.
 4. The structure as defined in claim 1, wherein: a. said meanson said locking member for retaining said handle in a locked positionincludes a pair of axially extended, parallel, spaced apart andoppositely oriented C-shaped members.
 5. The structure as defined inclaim 4, wherein: a. said means on said locking member for retainingsaid handle in a locked position includes means for biasing said handleinto a locked position in said C-shaped members.
 6. The structure asdefined in claim 1, wherein: a. said access opening is provided with aninwardly extended flange; and, b. said cover is provided with a sealingmeans for sealing engagement with said flange.